Early Cost Estimate of Product during Design Stage Using Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) Principles

Abstract:

Article Preview

Application of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) methodologies can be beneficial to industries involved in the design and development of products. Improper design decisions are responsible for higher manufacturing cost for a product. Thus it is important to include DFMA by combining principles of both DFM and DFA principle early in the design process. This paper presents a case study of manufacture and assembly costs estimation during the design phase of washing machine and which is to be manufactured in company located in India, and intends to make this economically feasible. Solidworks and Solidview software tool were used to generate CAD models which were further analysed using DFMA software tool. The result obtained was accepted by industry and match with the market value of washing machine.

Abstract: The study is intended to measure the reliability of MPV dashboard to endure interior impact by using finite element analysis (FEA) method. A model which represents MPV dashboard was made using Solidworks and the impact simulation was done using ABAQUS. Current material being used for dashboard is ABS-GF40 and this material was proven to be reliable to withstand interior impact through the simulation that has been done in this study. Besides, this study also serve the purpose to reduce manufacturing cost using alternative materials with no less reliability compared to ABS-GF40. Similar simulation routines were applied for ABS copolymer, PP copolymer, and PVC copolymer. The simulation results showed that ABS-CF40 performance is similar to ABS-GF40, whereas the PP-CF10, PP-GF10, and PVC-GF30 exhibit almost identical behavior under impact loading. Cost assessment was carried out for all materials to assist in selecting alternative material for replacement of ABS-GF40. Hence, it was found that PP-GF10 can be used as an alternative material with cost reduction up to RM33.17 on each dashboard.

Abstract: Evaluating the assemblability at the design stage is important because of the cost competitiveness of company. However by compared results of the sequence of bottle neck process of production stage, the Lucas DFA (Design for assembly) and Boothroyd & Dewhurst DFA is not enough to evaluate the assenblability accurately. Therefore, in this paper, we proposed three design factors which is affecting assembly but not mentioned at DFA. These design factors would help the designers to evaluate assemblability and improve the productivity.

Abstract: The increasing use of hybrid materials requires efficient manufacturing processes. With the concept of the intrinsic hybrids the shaping or forming of the part is combined with the hybridization in the same process step and thereby the same tool. Hence new tooling concepts, which realise the process requirements, are necessary. This paper describes tooling concepts and design methods for the manufacturing of intrinsic hybrid parts. Different solutions for rotational and planar parts with thermosetting or thermoplastic matrix material are presented. Additionally the integration of inserts in such tools is discussed. Finally the main challenges for the design of tools for intrinsic hybrids will be presented.